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Lowest ranked teams in the FA Cup

With a number of non-league sides impressing in this season's FA Cup, we've taken a look at the lowest-ranked teams still in the world's oldest cup competition.

Fourth Round

Doncaster Rovers

Division: League Two
First Round Opponent: Barrow (A)
Second Round Opponent: Kettering Town (A)
Third Round Opponent: Hull City (A)
Fourth Round Opponent: Crystal Palace (H)

Promotion-chasing Doncaster Rovers are the only League Two side to progress to the fourth round of the 2024/25 FA Cup after delivering the upset of the weekend by defeating Championship outfit Hull City on penalties at the MKM Stadium.

Luke Molyneux had put Grant McCann's side ahead after 51 minutes but their hopes of sealing victory in 90 minutes were banished when Gustavo Puerta equalised for the hosts.

There was nothing to split the sides in extra time and Doncaster's luck appeared to have run out when Joe Ironside missed Rovers' first penalty. Hull's Mason Burstow had the chance to win it for Ruben Selles' men but sent his penalty over the crossbar, and with Molyneux restoring parity to send the shootout to sudden death, Alfie Jones saw his spot-kick saved before Harry Clifton held his nerve to send the League Two side through.

Doncaster's second round tie was far from plain sailing, either.

Encountering seventh-tier side Kettering Town, who had defeated local rivals Northampton Town in a stunning first round upset, the Yorkshire club required a Billy Sharp rescue act as the veteran striker spared Doncaster's blushes with an equaliser before netting the winner in extra time.

It's the furthest Doncaster have advanced in the FA Cup since 2020/21 and their reward is a home tie with Premier League side Crystal Palace.

Exeter City

Division: League One
First Round Opponent: Barnet (H)
Second Round Opponent: Chesterfield (H)
Third Round Opponent: Oxford United (H)
Fourth Round Opponent: Nottingham Forest (H)

Exeter City remain League One's sole representatives as they gear-up for a home clash with Premier League high-fliers Nottingham Forest.

Exeter have been afforded home advantage in all three of their FA Cup clashes so far this season, and they will hope that home comforts play their part once more as they look to upstage their more illustrious opponents in front of the live television cameras.

The Grecians may be struggling in their league, but have already claimed the scalps of side from higher up the Football League pyramid, beating Championship side Oxford United 3-1 in the third round.

That result came on the back of a first round 5-3 success over Barnet as well as a comfortable 2-0 triumph over Chesterfield.

The Devonshire side famously reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup back in 1931 and victory over Nuno Esperito Santo's men would advance them to just a solitary triumph from repeating that feat in 2024/25.

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